It was only two weeks into his retirement, but Stephan Newhouse ’65, former president of Morgan Stanley, graciously returned to the Martinsville campus on Friday, April 15, 2005 to speak at the fifth annual John Hanly Lecture Series on Ethics and Morality. Newhouse enlightened the students with ideologies, philosophy, and historical references to provoke discourse on present-day ethical challenges.
Newhouse, a Yale and Harvard Business School graduate, began his talk by expressing his unflagging belief in a Pingry education, what he refers to as second to none both in the development of character and personal integrity. He went on to credit the Honor Code and renowned former headmaster and lecture series founder John Hanly, who made a special appearance, for helping to establish this ethical framework.
Pingry’s diversity – its ethnic, cultural, and gender mix – was highlighted as one of the school’s strengths. Newhouse noted that “there are core values and absolute standards that transcend geography and culture.” He believes that one of these orders, the golden rule of treating others as you’d like done, must permeate business, education, government, and athletics, all of which are currently facing ethical problems in the larger society.
Newhouse insisted that the students avoid situational ethics and urged them to participate in enforcing the honor system. He says, “You must stand up and intervene when you see intolerable behavior.” Stressing ownership of one’s actions, he continues, “If whatever you chose in life involves dealing with people, your reputation will precede you and become an accurate description of who you are.”
Before his departure, Newhouse left the students with numerous memorable points and powerful quotes, but his message was best summarized in a quote by Fred Rogers, “You know it's not the honors and the prizes and the fancy outsides of life which ultimately nourish our souls. It's knowing that we can be trusted, that we never have to fear the truth, that the bedrock of our very being is good stuff.”
© 2005 The Pingry School |
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